Help with removing red algae from a new pond.

[alanw]

Hi, I recently built (installed) a pond which I want to use for wildlife only in my garden. After initial teething problems I had finally got it in place. I have bought oxygenating plants and they seem to be growing fine at the moment. The problem I have is there appears to be red algae which has appeared over the last week. I understand that my pond plants need to be much bigger and should eventually cut out a lot of the sunlight which is currently hitting the pond and then the algae should reduce (I hope). Is there anything I can do in the meantime to help reduce this algae? The water I used to fill the pond a couple of months ago was all rain water and was pretty clear and very few leaves have fallen in and those that have I have removed most of them. If at all possible I don't really want to include a filter/pump but I will if it is necessary. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi Alan
Welcome to the UKaps
Read this thread below it could guide you in what you want to achieve!
Clive is one of our most knowledgeable moderators.....
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads...-how-ei-frightened-the-gardener.123/#post-562
Cheers
hoggie

 

[zozo]

Hi and welcome.. It is still very early and cool temps, plant growth is rather still very low.. Algae are pioneers, they need less and come first.. So actualy it's much to early to worry and pretty normal that this is th only thing nature is growing at the time. Relatively speeking of course, plant are now growing too, but much slower.

So add plants mass and wait for warmer days and more plantgrowth and the algae will readily be outcompeted.. Especialy floaters are important if the pond gets a few hours direct sunlight. For the rest marginal planted nitrate consuming fast growers and soem fast growing aquatics, elodea does wonders. But even this wonderfull elodea is not doing much at this time of year. But it can't hurt to throw a bunch in already..

 

[alanw]

Thanks zozo, the plants I planted are definitely growing but the colour of the water did surprise me. I'll keep an eye on it over the coming weeks.

 

[zozo]

It is not easy to say what you could do without giving, more info on volume, what plants and which soil they are on. Some pictures could also help.
A filter is not a pre, but definitively could help, depending on the volume it can be realized very cheap and efficient. Best is a planted filter, becaue they are very suficient and maintenance free.

If you have green or red water, i suspect you have all plants on organic pond soil?

 

[martin-green]

If its just for a wildlife pond I really would not bother with a filter, since filters are mostly used to remove fish waste, and you will also want to add a UV which in turn means more expense and you also have to install an electricity supply.
I think the best thing is to post clear pictures of your pond.

 

[zozo]

If the definition of wildlife pond is a planted fishless puddle in the garden. And you want to do something effective and cheap against the early algae blooms. Than hop into an LFS where they sell life Daphnia buy a bunch and throw them into the pond. They live off free floating algae etc in the water and if there is a lot thye propagate like mad and eat the water completely clear.